This invention relates to a track system for vehicles, and in particular, to an improved structure for mounting idler wheels and bogie wheels to the frame of the track system.
Agricultural implements such as tractors, combines and the like are commonly used in agricultural fields for a variety of jobs. Typically, these agricultural implements incorporate tires on which the implement is supported. Since these types of large agricultural implements are quite heavy, the weight of agricultural implements are distributed to a relatively small area on the tires of the implements. As a result, the tires on the agricultural implements tend to compact the soil in the fields. Compacted soil discourages the growth of crops planted in the fields which need loose soil to flourish.
In addition, since agricultural fields are often wet due to rain or watering, agricultural implements which enter the fields become bogged down in the mud due to the fact that there is such a small area of the tire in contact with the soil. As such, it is highly desirable to develop a track system for vehicles which disburses the weight of the agricultural implement over a larger area so as to reduce the compaction of the soil in the agricultural fields and to provide a track with a larger surface area which contacts the soil so as to prevent the agricultural implement from becoming bogged down in mud in the fields.
A prior track system for vehicles is disclosed in Kelderman, U.S. Pat. No. 5,452,949, assigned to the Assignee of the present invention and incorporated herein by reference. The Kelderman '949 patent discloses a track suspension system for a vehicle having a frame and a continuous track. The drive wheel is attached to the frame for engaging and driving the continuous flexible track. The drive wheel has a plurality of drive projections disposed thereon which engage depressions in the rubber track. As the drive wheel rotates, it engages and drives the continuous flexible track. As is known, a larger drive wheel increases the distance covered by the agricultural implement in response to each rotation of the axle. Consequently, it is highly desirable to provide a drive wheel with a greater diameter in order to maintain the speed of the agricultural implement and reduce the number of revolutions of the axle necessary to transport the agricultural implement a predetermined distance.
Therefore, it is a primary object and feature of the present invention to provide a track system for a vehicle wherein the drive wheel has a greater diameter.
It is a further object and feature of the present invention to provide of a track system for a vehicle with an improved structure for mounting idler wheels and bogie wheels to the support frame thereof.
It is a still further object and feature of the present invention to provide a drive wheel of a track system which is inexpensive to manufacture and simple to assemble.
In accordance with the present invention, a track apparatus having a frame is provided. The track apparatus is mountable on a rotatable axle of a vehicle and includes a continuous flexible track having an upper length and a ground-engaging lower length. A drive wheel is mountable to the rotatable axle of the vehicle for rotational movement therewith. The drive wheel engages the inner surface of the flexible track along the upper length to drive the flexible track in response to rotation of the axle of the vehicle. First and second leading idler arms are also provided. Each leading idler arm has a proximal end mounted to the frame and distal end. First and second leading idler stub axles are rotatable about and spaced along a common leading axis. Each leading idler stub axle has first end rotatably mounted to the distal end of a corresponding leading idler arm and a second, opposite unsupported end. First and second leading idler wheels engage the flexible track and are mounted on a corresponding leading idler stub axle for rotational movement therewith. The first and second leading idler wheels define a leading idler void therebetween.
The drive wheel of the track apparatus extends into the leading idler void between the first and second leading idler wheels. It is contemplated that the drive wheel intersect the leading idler axis.
The track apparatus of the present invention may also include first and second trailing idler arms. Each trailing idler arm having a proximal end mounted to the frame and a distal end. First and second trailing idler stub axles are rotatable about and spaced along a common trailing idler axis. Each trailing idler stub axle has a first end rotatably mounted to the distal end of the corresponding trailing idler arm, and a second, opposite unsupported end. First and second trailing idler wheels engage the flexible track and are mounted on corresponding trailing idler stub axles for rotational movement therewith. The first and second trailing idler wheels define a trailing idler void therebetween.
The drive wheel may extend into the trailing idler void between the first and second trailing idler wheels. It is contemplated that the drive wheel intersect trailing idler axis.
The track apparatus also includes first and second bogie arms. Each bogie arm having a trailing end mounted to a corresponding trailing idler arm and a leading end. First and second bogie stub axles are rotatable about and spaced along a common leading bogie axis. Each axle has first end rotatably supported by the leading end of a corresponding bogie arm, and a second, opposite unsupported end. First and second leading bogie wheels engage the flexible track along the lower length and are mounted on corresponding leading bogie stub axles for rotational movement therewith. The first and second leading bogie wheels define a leading bogie void therebetween. The drive wheel may extend into the leading bogie void between the first and second leading bogie wheels. It is contemplated that the drive wheel intersect the leading bogie axis.
The track apparatus may also include first and second trailing bogie stub axles rotatable about and spaced along a common trailing bogie axis. Each trailing bogie stub axle has a first end rotatably mounted to the trailing end of a corresponding bogie arm and a second, opposite unsupported end. First and second trailing bogie wheels engage the flexible track along the lower length and are mounted on corresponding trailing bogie stub axles for rotational movement therewith. The first and second trailing bogie wheels define a trailing bogie void therebetween. The drive wheel may extend into the trailing bogie void between the first and second trailing bogie wheels. It is contemplated that the drive wheel intersect the trailing bogie axis.
In accordance with a still further aspect of the present invention, a track apparatus having a frame is provided. The track apparatus is mountable on a rotatable axle of a vehicle. The track apparatus includes a continuous flexible track having an upper length and a ground-engaging lower length. A drive wheel is mountable to the rotatable axle of the vehicle for rotational movement therewith. The drive wheel engages the inner surface of the flexible track along the upper length to drive the flexible track in response to rotation of the axle of the vehicle. First and second leading idler arms are mounted to the frame at their proximal ends. First and second leading idler wheels engage the flexible track and are rotatably mounted to the distal end of corresponding leading idler arms along a common leading idler axis. The first and second leading idler wheels define a leading idler void therebetween. The drive wheel extends into the leading idler void between the first and second leading idler wheels. It is contemplated that the drive wheel intersect the leading idler axis.
The track apparatus further includes first and second trailing idler arms. Each trailing idler arm has a proximal end mounted to the frame and a distal end. First and second trailing idler wheels engage the flexible track and are rotatably mounted on the distal end of corresponding trailing idler arms along a common trailing idler axis. The first and second trailing idler wheels define a trailing idler void therebetween. The drive wheel extends into the trailing idler void between the first and second trailing idler wheels. It is contemplated that the drive wheel intersect the trailing idler axis.
The track apparatus further includes first and second bogie arms. Each bogie arm having a trailing end mounted to a corresponding trailing idler arm and a leading end. First and second leading bogie wheels engage the flexible track along the lower length and are rotatably mounted on the leading end of a corresponding bogie arm along a common axis. The first and second leading bogie arms define a leading bogie void therebetween. The drive wheel extends into the void between the first and second leading bogie wheels. It is contemplated that the drive wheel intersect the leading bogie axis.
First and second trailing bogie wheels engage the flexible track along the lower length and are rotatably mounted on the trailing end of a corresponding bogie arm along a common trailing bogie axis. The first and second trailing bogie wheels define a trailing bogie void therebetween. The drive wheel extends into the trailing bogie void between the first and second trailing bogie wheels. It is contemplated that the drive wheel intersect the trailing bogie axis.
In accordance with a still further aspect of the present invention, a track apparatus having a frame is provided. The track apparatus is mountable on a rotatable axle of a vehicle and includes a continuous flexible track having an upper length and a groundengaging lower length. First and second bogie arms have a first end supported by the frame. The first and second bogie wheels engage the inner surface of the flexible track along the lower length and are rotatably mounted on a second end of a corresponding bogie arm along a common axis. The first and second leading bogie wheels define a leading bogie void therebetween. First and second trailing bogie wheels engage the inner surface of the flexible track along a lower length and are rotatably mounted adjacent the first end of a corresponding bogie arm along a common trailing bogie axis. The first and second trailing bogie wheels define a trailing bogie void therebetween. A drive wheel is mountable to the rotatable axle of the vehicle for rotational movement therewith. The drive wheel extends into the leading bogie void and engages the inner surface of the flexible track along the upper length to drive the flexible track in response to rotation of the axle of the vehicle.
The drive wheel includes upper and lower circumferential portions. The upper circumferential portion of the drive wheel engages the flexible track along the upper length. The lower circumferential portion of the drive wheel extends into the leading bogie void and into the trailing bogie void. It is contemplated that the lower circumferential portion of the drive wheel intersect the leading bogie axis and the trailing bogie axis.
The track apparatus may include a leading idler assembly attached to the frame. The leading idler assembly includes a leading idler wheel engaging the flexible track. In addition, a trailing idler assembly may be attached to the frame. The trailing idler assembly includes a trailing idler wheel engaging the flexible track.